Athlete of the Year Growing Soccer in Canada

It was a dream season for German forward Tobias Warschewski, and he’s ready to hit repeat on the whole thing.

The Cavalry Football Club (FC) striker was the Golden Boot winner in the Canadian Premier League (CPL) in 2024, collecting 12 goals in 24 league contests, and he opened the scoring in the CPL Final to help secure the team’s first North Star Cup, which is awarded to the CPL champions. Warschewski was named the CPL Final MVP for his efforts.

He also scored the winning goal in Cavalry’s historic victory over Pumas UNAM during Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF) Champions Cup play in February.

To cap things off, he recently claimed the Scott-Mamini Memorial Award as the Calgary Booster Club’s Male Athlete of the Year for 2024.

“In your career you sometimes go through rollercoaster seasons. I’m just happy to help the team as much as possible, and I think it was a dream season from the beginning. We came together, believed in ourselves, and I think to the end there was just a big belief in our group and everything that we do,” said Warschewski.

Part of his success includes not just winning matches, but putting a spotlight on soccer across Calgary, the region and even the country.

“I’m just happy to grow the game. It’s also another opportunity … to showcase our sport. I’m just proud of that,” said Warschewski.

“We try to grow it and I think we may be doing a good job … we grow the soccer all over Canada I would say, not just Calgary. I feel like it’s a big opportunity for us and just fun to be part of it, to see how fast it grows and being in the league for four years now, it’s my fourth season, and to see how it grows already over the last four years, it’s special to me.”

Warschewski, who first joined the CPL in Edmonton in 2021, has signed a new two-year guaranteed contract that will keep him with the Cavalry through 2026. The deal also includes an option to play in Calgary during the 2027 season.

“I love the coach here, the environment here, everything. I came out of a year not playing. How they treated me and got me back to fitness, to compete again, I think it’s a very special place for myself,” said Warschewski of the fresh contract.

He believes a repeat of the 2024 campaign is possible for the Cavalry.

“I think for the team, we want to have the same standards, compete for every single trophy that’s out there,” said Warschewski.

“For myself, I just want to help the team in the best way possible, if it’s scoring goals, if it’s assisting on goals or helping the team to grow.”

In adding his name to the Scott-Mamini Memorial Trophy, Warschewski beat out Nate Beauchemin (football), Ted-Jan Bloeden (speed skating), Connor Bouchard (hockey), Stefan Daniel (para triathlon), and Wes Heffernan (golf), who were all nominated for the Calgary Booster Club award.

“I’m very proud of this trophy that I am getting. I think there is a lot to it, like teammates and the coaching staff, that led to getting that trophy,” said Warschewski.

Recent winners of the Male Athlete of the Year award include Dustin Wolf, Cale Makar, Riley Fleming, Mark Giordano and Justin Kripps.

This year’s award recipients – including Honoured Athletic Leaders and endowment winners – will be officially recognized on Sunday, April 27th at the Calgary Booster Club’s 71st annual gala. Tickets for the reception at the Grey Eagle Resort and Casino are available now.